Nicaragua will welcome the region’s top Women’s Under-17 national teams to Central America for the tournament, which will crown the regional champion at this age level. The women’s championship will also qualify three teams to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018.

“CONCACAF is proud to bring the 2018 Under-17 Women’s Championship to Nicaragua, as we continue to focus on supporting development of women’s game throughout the Confederation,” said CONCACAF General Secretary Philippe Moggio. “The women’s game in Central America has fantastic potential for growth. We’re confident that this championship will provide motivation for young women across the region as participation numbers in Nicaragua and throughout the region continue to climb.”

“We are very grateful and proud, for the confidence that CONCACAF has deposited in our federation, our executive committee and our collaborators, to deliver this event, which will have a positive impact on the development of women’s football in our country. This is the first time that our country will hosts an event of such magnitude. We are ready to welcome the participating teams with the warmth and hospitality that characterizes our country.”

The Estadio Nacional, in Managua, Nicaragua, has been selected for all sixteen matches, to be played across eight match days in April.

The CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship will include a field of eight teams. Nicaragua will participate as host, along with Costa Rica, first place finisher of the 2017 CONCACAF Central America Women’s Under-17 Qualifier.

Three teams from North America will also compete — Canada, Mexico and United States – as well as Haiti, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, as the three top finishers from the 2017 CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s Under-17 Qualifier.

The official draw for the Women’s Under-17 Championship will take place in early 2018.

In the previous edition of the CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship played in Grenada in 2016, the United States won its third straight championship at this level, with a 2-1 win over Mexico in the final.

Number of teams to qualify for the World Cup: 3 (Champion, runner-up and third place)

Competition Format: The eight participating teams will be sorted into two groups of four for the Group Stage. After round-robin play, the two group winners, plus the two second-place finishers will advance to the semifinals. The semifinal winners will automatically qualify to the championship final and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The semifinal losers will dispute the tournament’s third place match for the last available ticket to the World Cup.